Dhaka, July 10 (bdnews24.com) –Talks between Bangladeshi and Indian officials Tuesday on Dhaka-Kolkata direct train service ended inconclusively over security concerns with a likely launch now set for September, officials said.

After two days of discussions, officials from both sides announced that a trial train would travel to Kolkata on July 29 carrying Bangladeshi officials for meetings with the Indians to iron out the security concerns.

"Given the incidents taking place throughout the world, ensuring the security of passengers and personal property and the security of different installations in both countries is our main concern," ATKM Ismail who led the Bangladesh delegation told reporters.

"Every week on Saturday or Sunday a train will leave the Cantonment station in Dhaka for Kolkata, returning to Dhaka the next day.

"Likewise, a train would come to Dhaka from Kolkata and return in the same way. So a total of four trains would run every week," said Ismail, additional secretary of the
communications ministry.

"If the issue of security for the two countries could be ensured we will be able to run trains in the next four weeks," AE Ahmed, leader of the Indian delegation and additional secretary to the interior ministry, told reporters.

"We want to install fencing similar to that at Jamuna Bridge to prevent illegal movement and smuggling from both Bangladesh and India. This would not be a barbed-wire fence and no fences would thrown up in 'no man's land'."

Some Indian delegates will stay back in Dhaka to meet Bangladesh Railway officials at Pakshey Wednesday with much of their delegation flying to Delhi the same day.

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